&
We each leave our mark on the world every moment of every day
Christmas Dinner Table
Baking cookies & decorating each other!
Joy to the Earth! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy!
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found!
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders, wonders(!) of His love.
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there....
Yesterday this jolly little fellow showed up in my mailbox! I should warn you that I do believe he's contagious! Here's why: When I first laid eyes on him, my eyes sparkled just like he does in this pic - & my mouth turned up like his too(!) & instantly I felt a bit flush & feverish ... as if I were warming up from the inside out.
Our church youth group performed a living nativity at church this evening. Playmaker was Mary. Her best friend was Joseph. Strike was an angel. They really did a nice job - all the kids involved. Just so sweet - especially bc they were older kids & they ran the whole program.... acting, singing/worship/speaking...the whole kit & kaboodle :) & they were so enthusiastic about what they were sharing - I really got the sense that their heart was in it.
Playmaker took "handmade" literally & used her fingerprints to make these....
Just thought they all turned out so nice! So nice...that I'd like some :)
Author Unknown |
"Ready for Christmas," she said with a sigh, |
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high. |
Then wearily sat for a moment and read |
Till soon, very soon, she was nodding her head. |
Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream! |
"Ready for Christmas! What do you Mean? |
When only last week |
You wouldn't acknowledge your friend on the street." |
"Ready for Christmas, while holding a grudge! |
Perhaps you better let God be the judge. |
Why, how can the Christ child come and abide |
In a heart that is selfish and filled with pride?" |
"Ready for Christmas, when only today |
A beggar lad came and you turned him away |
Without even a smile to show that you cared! |
So little he asked, he could have been spared." |
"Ready for Christmas! You've worked, it is true, |
But just doing the things that you wanted to do." |
"Ready for Christmas, your circle's to small. |
Why, you are not ready for Christmas at all." |
She awoke with a start, and a cry of despair. |
"There's so little time, and I've still to prepare! |
Oh, Father, forgive me, I see what you mean; |
To be ready means more than a house swept clean." |
"Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree, |
It's the heart swept clean that he wants to see, |
A heart that is free from bitterness, sin, |
Ready for Christmas means ready for Him!" visit Scattering Lupines or Shells and Bells Flowers and Showers for a list of others participating in this year's Bloggers' Christmas Party! |
I'm finally going to read this - for perhaps the first time ever?! I honestly don't remember ever reading it before - tho something tells me I might have - (Yikes! It kinda scares me to even think about all that I've forgotten over the years!) Maybe it will "come back to me" once I begin :)This is perhaps the most entertaining illustration I've read of a concept I find SO depressing... so ridiculous - that if it weren't true... it would almost be funny.
Twas the Night Before Christmas
Politically Correct
Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck…
How to live in a world that's politically correct?
His workers no longer would answer to "Elves",
"Vertically Challenged" they were calling themselves.
And labor conditions at the north pole
Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul.
Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety,
Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.
And equal employment had made it quite clear
That Santa had better not use just reindeer.
So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,
Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!
The runners had been removed from his sleigh;
The ruts were termed dangerous by the E.P.A.
And people had started to call for the cops
When they heard sled noises on their roof-tops.
Second-hand smoke from his pipe had his workers quite frightened.
His fur trimmed red suit was called "Unenlightened."
And to show you the strangeness of life's ebbs and flows,
Rudolf was suing over unauthorized use of his nose
And had gone on Geraldo, in front of the nation,
Demanding millions in over-due compensation.
So, half of the reindeer were gone; and his wife,
Who suddenly said she'd enough of this life,
Joined a self-help group, packed, and left in a whiz,
Demanding from now on her title was Ms.
And as for the gifts, why, he'd ne'er had a notion
That making a choice could cause so much commotion.
Nothing of leather, nothing of fur,
Which meant nothing for him. And nothing for her.
Nothing that might be construed to pollute.
Nothing to aim. Nothing to shoot.
Nothing that clamored or made lots of noise.
Nothing for just girls. Or just for the boys.
Nothing that claimed to be gender specific.
Nothing that's warlike or non-pacific.
No candy or sweets…they were bad for the tooth.
Nothing that seemed to embellish a truth.
And fairy tales, while not yet forbidden,
Were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden.
For they raised the hackles of those psychological
Who claimed the only good gift was one ecological.
No baseball, no football…someone could get hurt;
Besides, playing sports exposed kids to dirt.
Dolls were said to be sexist, and should be passe;
And Nintendo would rot your entire brain away.
So Santa just stood there, disheveled, perplexed;
He just could not figure out what to do next.
He tried to be merry, tried to be gay,
But you've got to be careful with that word today.
His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground;
Nothing fully acceptable was to be found.
Something special was needed, a gift that he might
Give to all without angering the left or the right.
A gift that would satisfy, with no indecision,
Each group of people, every religion;
Every ethnicity, every hue,
Everyone, everywhere…even you.
So here is that gift, it's price beyond worth…
"May you and your loved ones enjoy peace on earth."
Notice: This poem is copyright ©1992 by Harvey Ehrlich. It is free to distribute, without changes, as long as this notice remains intact. All follow-ups, requests, comments, questions, distribution rights, etc should be made to mduhan@husc.harvard.edu .
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
&
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,who have been called according to his purpose.
Max Lucado is a "master illustrator." He artistically paints pictures with words and "The Crippled Lamb" is no disappointment!
Little Joshua, a lamb, feels so different from others. He bears spots while others don't. He doesn't have a mom or dad. He can't run, jump and play like the others, for he has a bad leg. Often feeling down on himself, he finds encouragement in a friend named Abigail, an aging cow.
Then one unexpected night, Joshua finds that there is a specialness about his differences. There is a unique role only he can fill.
Get the tissues ready! This is a book sure to move even the hardest heart. How vividly it portrays the love of a Father Who loves us inspite of our blemishes and sees each one of His children as special, with purpose!
Beautifully illustrated by Liz Bonham, this is a work you should not miss. This one is a "keeper" you'll wish to pass on from generation to generation. (via one customer review from Amazon.com)
Take this image or one of your own and extend the invite from your own blog. Or just RSVP to Yiota or Scattering Lupines in the comments section so they can make sure everyone knows who to go visit on Friday.
Strike snow skating on the street...
Silly smiles in the snow!
Gingerbread Eggnog French Toast
I would not make a good food photographer!
Ohhhh - how part of me wishes
Can you stay awhile?
But certainly not too busy to visit w/ a friend.
Can I get you a drink?
Care for a candy cane?
or a cuppa?
Can't decide what flavor? Hmm... if
How 'bout we head into the family room & visit by the fire
My brother & his wife gave us this African Nativity. I've never seen one like it.
We've only done the lights so far.
When you arrived it was dark & the ground was clear.
